Jobs/Roles
in the ECE Community: Internationally
It was
very interesting exploring a variety of jobs that foster the well-being of
children, families, and the early childhood.
I found information on the following organizations and possible job
opportunities:
1. International Step by Step Association (ISSA) is a
membership organization that connects professionals and organizations working
in Early Childhood Development (ECD). Established in the Netherlands in 1999,
ISSA’s network today stretches across the globe. While ISSA offers general
membership and information-sharing to all interested individuals and
organizations, ISSA’s core members are non-governmental organizations, located
in Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe and Central Asia.
ISSA’s overarching goal is to
promote inclusive, quality care and education experiences that create the
conditions for all children to become active members of a democratic knowledge
society. ISSA accomplishes this through: raising awareness of the importance of
quality care and education, developing resources, disseminating information,
advocating, strengthening alliances, and building capacity to create conditions
where all children thrive.
Job Opportunity:
Early Childhood (Birth to Age 6) and Primary School
Step by Step classrooms foster
democratic habits. Children are encouraged to:
- Make choices and accept responsibility
- Learn independently as well as cooperatively
- Be tolerant and respectful of differences
Using a thematic or project-based
approach, classrooms are organized around developmentally appropriate learning
and activity centers. The specific organization of this environment places a
high priority on peer learning and ensures that children have the opportunity
to make decisions each day. Activity centers are geared to the interests and
learning level of each age group.
The role of the teacher is to
facilitate children’s learning and create a community of learners. Teachers do
not strive to be fountains of knowledge. Rather, teachers create a climate for
learning, exemplifying the qualities that should be developed in
children—intellectual curiosity, independent learning, enthusiasm, empathy and
caring.
Teachers interact with children as
they work and play. They observe and listen to children, record and evaluate
their observations, and plan developmentally appropriate learning activities.
In an environment where teachers encourage children to pursue their interests,
children develop a strong sense of importance and self-initiative.
In many countries formal preschool
services reach only a small percentage of children and families most in need of
services. For this reason, ISSA is reaching out to children and families
without access to quality preschool programs. For many communities, a range of
creative, flexible strategies to provide parents with the knowledge, skills,
and practices needed to support their children’s development is urgently
needed. The development of community learning centers, which address the
learning needs of both parents and children, is a high priority of SbS’s
expanded community activities. ISSA’s goal is to expand services to reach
families whose children are not attending formal preschools. Additional
programs include: parent-child activities, parent education workshops, adult
education, and informal developmentally appropriate activities for children from
birth-7 years of age.
2. UNESCO’s mission is to promote
education as a fundamental human right, to improve the quality of education and
to facilitate policy dialogue, knowledge sharing and capacity building. As the
Preamble to UNESCO’s constitution reads, the States parties believed ‘in
full and equal opportunities for education for all, in the unrestricted pursuit
of objective truth and in the free exchange of ideas and knowledge".
Since then, the world has changed but the right to education is more
fundamental than ever for building knowledge societies.
Job Opportunity: Education Roster - Early
Childhood Care and Education
From time to time UNESCO employs consultants and
authors who are recognized specialists or authorities working either in an
advisory or consultative capacity, or providing the skills, expertise and knowledge
needed for the delivery of a specific service or product. They should possess
specialist skills and knowledge not readily available within UNESCO, and for
which there is a temporary, short-term need, rather than a continuing need.
Qualifications and Experience:
Consultants should have relevant
professional experience at the national, regional
and/or international level.
Professional experience should be of 2 years for junior level, 5 years for
intermediate level, 10 years for senior level and over 15 for highly
specialized senior consultants, in one or more of the above mentioned
fields. Significant experience working in developing countries may be
required for some assignments.
SKILLS/COMPETENCIES
Advanced university degree. Normally excellent knowledge of English or
French. Knowledge of another UNESCO’s official language (English, French,
Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian) would be an advantage.
3. Save the Children is the leading
independent organization for children in need, with a staff of more than 14,000
people working in over 120 countries, including the United States. We aim to
inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve
immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health,
education and economic opportunities. In times of acute crisis, we mobilize
rapid assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and
natural disasters.
U.S.
Field-Based Positions:
Save the Children runs and
coordinates programs for children and families in 29 states across the country.
Our field-based positions work with local and national partners to implement
programs in Early Childhood and Education, Literacy, Nutrition and Exercise.
International
Field-Based Positions:
Our U.S. headquarters also recruits a limited number of qualified individuals
to support field-based programs in a variety of International locations. In
addition Save the Children International and 30 national Save the Children
organizations around the world also recruit for positions overseas.
4. UNICEF: We believe that nurturing and caring for
children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with
this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that
poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We
believe that we can, together, advance the cause of humanity.
Job Opportunity:
Consultancy assignment: Sustainable Scale up of Early Childhood
Development (ECD) programs and the Role of Social Enterprise
If you are a passionate and committed professional and want to make a
lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights
organization would like to hear from you.
Key competences, technical background, and experience:
• Extensive knowledge in ECD, Sustainable Development, processes and
contents of post-2015 Agenda
• At least 10 to 15 years of proven experience in the area of ECD
• Ability to network, consolidate and present ideas clearly
• Strong analytical and writing skills; ability to prepare analytical
reports in English.
• Familiarity with UNICEF programmes and policies
Reference
International Step By Step
Association. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from
Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved
from
United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from
United Nations Education,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2011). Retrieved
